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In Georgia, thousands of residents suffer from problems with drug and alcohol abuse. A survey conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) in 2014-2015 found that in Georgia alone:
Nearly half a million individuals living in Georgia had an addiction to alcohol in 2015. This represents more than 5% of all Georgia residents and is similar to the national rate of alcohol use disorder.
Luckily, addiction treatment programs are available to help you on the road to recovery. In 2015, more than 25,000 people in Georgia received substance abuse treatment, which was about 4,000 more than in 2011. Of those individuals enrolled in rehab 31.4% sought treatment for both drugs and alcohol abuse.
You don’t have to battle addiction alone. Enrolling in a recovery program can provide you with the foundation you need to begin a happier and healthier life.
Georgia's law enforcement officers take the state's drug issues very seriously. Each year, over 40,000 people are arrested in Georgia for drug-related crimes, including the possession, sale, trafficking and manufacturing of drugs.
Offenders of Georgia's strict drug possession laws can face years behind bars and sky-high fines. In addition, all drug possession crimes result in the suspension of a person's driver's license for a minimum of six months. Aside from the legal penalties, getting caught with drugs comes with a stigma that a person could carry for many years to come.
Marijuana possession for recreational use is a crime in Georgia.
Punishments vary according to the amount of marijuana possessed, as well as whether the person intended to distribute the substance.
Possessing one ounce or less of marijuana is considered a misdemeanor, punishable by jail time up to one year and a fine up to $1,000. If a person is found in possession of more than one ounce, they will be charged with a felony, face up to 10 years in prison and pay a maximum $5,000 fine.
Offenders who possess marijuana with the intent to distribute will undergo a far more severe punishment. The maximum sentence a person can face is 40 years in prison and up to $1 million in fines.
Georgia's medical marijuana law only allows the use of cannabidiol (CBD), a low-THC oil derived from the cannabis plant, to treat certain medical conditions. Under the law, cannabidiol can only be obtained from a licensed physician by patients and caregivers registered with the Georgia Department of Public Health. The oil must contain no more than five percent THC, and the patient or caregiver may not possess more than 20 fluid ounces at one time.
In order to qualify for CBD in Georgia, the patient must suffer from one of these illnesses:
To decide the appropriate penalties for possession of controlled dangerous substances (CDS), Georgia uses a classification system to categorize different drugs. The drugs are separated into five “schedules,” according to each drug's potential for addiction. Drugs in Schedules I and II are considered to be highly addictive, while substances in schedules III through V are seen as less addictive.
Under the Georgia Controlled Substance Act, possessing any amount of these substances is automatically considered a felony. Exceptions to this rule are schedule IV and V drugs that are obtained with a prescription.
| Substance Classification | Drug Examples |
|---|---|
| Schedule I | Heroin, ecstasy, marijuana |
| Schedule II | Methamphetamine, cocaine, methadone |
| Schedule III | Stimulants, including testosterone, ketamine |
| Schedule IV | Benzodiazepines, like alprazolam |
| Schedule V | Cough suppressants, like dextromethorphan |
Penalties for Georgia drug possession are below, depending on the type of substance and your criminal history. Prison time and fines can vary substantially, according to a court's decision.
| Drug Type(s), Number of Offenses | Charge | Penalty |
|---|---|---|
| Schedules I and II, first offense | Felony | 2 to 15 years in prison, variable fines |
| Schedules I and III, subsequent offense | Felony | 5 to 30 years in prison, variable fines |
| Schedules III, IV and V, first offense | Felony | 1 to 5 years in prison, variable fines |
| Schedules III, IV and V, subsequent offense | Felony | 1 to 10 years in prison, variable fines |
Beyond Georgia, drug and alcohol addiction affects millions of Americans. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, alcohol addiction costs the nation $249 billion each year, and illicit drugs cost another $193 billion. Prescription opioids, like Codeine or OxyContin, account for a loss of $78.5 billion.
But the individual cost can be far worse. Broken families, destroyed health, lost jobs and homelessness can all result from untreated chemical dependency.
According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 21.54 percent of Georgia residents reported that they binge drink regularly or had binged in the last month. Binge alcohol use is described as five drinks for men or four for women, at one time, at least once within the last 30 days.
Some people might think one binge a month is not a big deal, but it's worth looking out for that friend who seems to have five or six drinks every night after work. This level of alcohol consumption may call for an intervention and compassionate addiction treatment options.
The Substance Abuse Research Alliance published a paper detailing some startling statistics about prescription and illicit opioid use in Georgia. 549 Georgia residents overdosed on opioids in 2015. In 29 of Georgia's 159 counties, the opioid overdose rate outpaced that of the U.S. average.
Opioid use, including illicit opioids such as heroin, is on the rise. The SARA report described heroin use as an epidemic in Georgia, where the number of opioid-related deaths has increased tenfold over 15 years. To put this tragedy in perspective, in 2015, there were nearly as many drug overdose deaths as there were fatalities from motor vehicle accidents.
Between 2013 and 2015, after a nationwide crackdown on opioid-prescribing practices, people who were abusing prescription opioids started to switch to heroin. Heroin is cheaper, and now it's easier to obtain than prescription opioids.
Before you start searching for an addiction treatment program, it helps to answer some basic questions to narrow down your options. You may want to start by contacting your health insurance provider to learn more about your coverage. You can also learn more about the various therapies and amenities offered and decide which ones appeal to you. Do you want a luxurious, high-end setting, or a rustic escape? Do you want to stay in Georgia, or travel far from home to get away from your daily life? Do you want traditional therapeutic methods, or does a new-age holistic approach appeal to you?
Thinking about what you want and then answering questions like these is a great start toward finding the perfect rehab center for you.
Every substance abuse treatment program is different so it’s important to do your research before making a decision. You can call us to speak to trained treatment support specialists who can provide you with useful recovery information.
When choosing a drug and alcohol rehab center in Georgia, there are several criteria to always look for. The most effective programs will likely include:
When a person is choosing a Georgia rehab facility, it's important to realize there are many forms of treatment. Some common services of quality rehab programs include:
A variety of effective treatment options are available for those experiencing drug or alcohol addiction in the state of Georgia. Addiction treatment centers assess a client's needs on an individual basis. A person may participate in one or all of the available levels of care, depending on the severity of their addiction and how they respond to treatment.
Addiction treatment program options include:
The first step in breaking an addiction is to withhold the substance so the body can clear out all traces of drugs or alcohol. For most people suffering from a drug or alcohol addiction, this means being admitted to a medical detox program.
During detox, staff will monitor each client around the clock, ensuring they don't develop complications from any withdrawal symptoms. If needed, medication may be provided to relieve or prevent withdrawal symptoms or to otherwise decrease discomfort during this time.
Withdrawal from chemical dependency affects everyone differently. Alcohol withdrawal may not be obvious at first, but after a few days, tremors known as delirium tremens may set in. With support, alcohol withdrawal symptoms may lessen after a week. Without support, the symptoms could continue for weeks.
Detox should not be attempted at home, as withdrawal symptoms can become life-threatening. A person may be tempted to return to substance use just to relieve their withdrawal symptoms. Going through withdrawal in a medically supported detox program is more likely to result in sobriety because the client is supported every step of the way.
Once the body has gone through detox and is physically free of drugs and alcohol, inpatient drug rehab begins to train the mind for recovery. Residential addiction treatment focuses on making lasting behavioral changes to bring long-term sobriety. This may involve attending group meetings, one-on-one sessions with professionals and other support.
In an inpatient drug rehab program, clients attend counseling sessions and recovery activities during the day and reside on-site for the duration of treatment. This round-the-clock immersion in a recovery atmosphere helps to keep clients focused on sobriety and offers the support needed to stay committed to recovery at all times.
Georgia also offers outpatient addiction treatment programs. In an outpatient drug rehab program, the client may attend treatment up to five days a week but then returns home each night after treatment. This allows the individual to access the treatment they need while maintaining work and family obligations.
For clients stepping down from residential addiction treatment, outpatient treatment offers ongoing recovery support. This helps to prevent relapse while the client transitions from a fully supported inpatient environment to independent living.
Each person is unique in their needs, and not everyone will respond to therapy in the same way.
Therapies used in addiction treatment programs may include:
How long an addiction treatment program lasts depends on the severity of the addiction and how the individual responds to treatment. In Georgia, there are detox treatment programs for heroin addiction, for example, that might take up to 10 days.
Detox is only the first step to recovery, however, and inpatient addiction treatment programs that follow may last 30 days, 90 days or longer. Longer programs help to support the individual while they learn relapse-prevention skills and behavioral changes that will reinforce long-term sobriety.
Outpatient programs can last six months to a year or longer, and many people in recovery participate in addiction treatment alumni groups for the rest of their lives.
As you review the expense of rehabilitation in georgia, look at the expense as an investment in your future and your family's. Most recovery clinics are able to take partial payment through any PPO, HMO or private insurance plan you have. If you wish to talk about your eligibility and the cost of treatment in GA, dial our hotline, at no cost to get clear and honest answers to your questions.
Whether your GA inpatient-residential alcohol and drug addiction recovery with take a month or 90 days, beginning treatment today improves your odds of becoming and staying healthy. Deciding on a rehab clinic that can address your needs before you ever arrive at the clinic can also help substantially. When you're ready to book treatment, our help line advisors can help you find the right spot so you are happy with your choice.
Every treatment program in Georgia will vary in price. The cost will be influenced by a number of factors such as location, whether it is a luxury or standard rehab facility, the length of your program, and the types of wellness services it offers such as massage, acupuncture, and yoga. If you know that you will be better able to concentrate on your treatment if you are in a private room or at a facility that offers access to a gym, it's important that you find a center with these services.
Most programs in Georgia allow you to negotiate on price and offer sliding scale fees. In addition, there are programs across the state that accept Medicaid, Medicare, private health insurance, and out of pocket payments.
If you don’t have health insurance coverage or the financial means to pay for a rehab program outright, there are still plenty of ways to get the treatment you need. Many facilities offer repayment plans and even sliding scale fee models, in which patients are charged for services based on their ability to pay.
Some scholarships are available to help low income individuals enter treatment, and some state-funded programs are available completely free of charge. You can also check to see if you qualify for Medicare or Medicaid health insurance coverage in order to receive treatment.
Substance addiction doesn’t have to control your life and you don’t have to struggle alone. There are many valuable resources in Georgia that you can use to find treatment and recover from a drug or alcohol addiction, including:
You are not limited to the resources above. There are many other recovery groups in Georgia that may suit your needs and provide you with the support necessary to obtain and maintain sobriety. Take the time to explore your options and choose the program that can best address your specific situation. What works for one person may not work for another; everyone’s path to recovery is different.
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